, 1887-03-08

~ W 80 NV u oh0 NCAa
troll the senate, so that measures of relief
could come, it cannot be laid to the door
of that administration which, through the
mouth of its great fiscal officer and distin-
guished son of your state, who lately re-
tired loaded with the honors and regards
of his countrymen. has urged in message,
in report, in argument and in debate. for
a reduction in the sum aud mode of fed
eral taxation. You, the people. must
apply the corrective where the corrective
alone can be effective. You, the people,
must instruct your representatives that
you mean to have and will have a change
in the methods and amount of taxation.
= y
To-day the only substantial objection
to the present Democratic administration
is because of the fact that changes have
not been made in some instances in the
executive establishments, the vast num-
Der of administrative posts are in the
hands of those who won the contest of
1884; but still the discomfort is deep
seated in some Democratic minds, because
the change has not been complete, and
because every official appointed under
moved, and. as I understand the situa-
ton, this solitary and often Notifying
view is set over all the splendid accomp-
lishmeuts which | have detailed, and
which you acknowledge, and IN which YOU
glory. What, then, is the situation ?
With the concurrence of a Democratic
house and the active cooperation of
Democratic senators, the civil service law
was placed upon the statute books of the
republic and is found there embodied to-
day, part and parcel of the entire system
of our public polity. How is its execu-
ton to be avoided
Gen. Black here proceeds to show by
quotations that Tilden favored the award
ing Of subordinate Offices by competition,
and that the Democratic party for ten
years was pledged to it. He then con-
tinues;
There, fellow citizens, is the record.
There are the pledges by which the party
won its way to popular control. There
the enunciation Of its highest conception
Of public duty. What would you have
your president do2 Shall he nulify the
law? Shall he ignore the party pledges?
Shall he forget its traditions and its later
and glorious teachings? Shall he because
of muttering d~iscontents and disappoint-
ments; shall he who stood in the presence
of the whole people and took An oath to
support the law, ignore it? Or shall he
preserve, maintain and execute while that
law exists? | do not propose to argue
the question here of the policy or impol-
icy. wisdom or unwisdow Of the law. l
point you to the silent immutable facts
that in the most sacred aud positive way
the party has pledged itself and its presi-
dent has sworn to execute the laws, con-
ceived in part in its councils and ratified
in its conventions. Argument ceases
here, for reform is necessary in regard to
this particular branch Of the law. II n
change in methods is to be made that
change must come through the law-mak-
ing branch Of the government. And now
through nearly two years this administra-
ton has silently devoted itself to the dis
charge of its duties. 1t has not com
municated with the public save through
official documents. 1t has not used pub
lie Office as any other than a public trust.
1t has submitted to the assaults Of those
misguided. but let us hope true-hearted
Democrats, who have been displeased
with the slower progress Of business.
1t has been a silent %administra-
ton, contented to point to its achieve
uents at home and abroad, its economies,
its clearly record, for vindication at the
hands Of the people. But | believe the
time has come to speak. The hour is
here when it should exhibit the record of
its administrative reform and accom-
plished working, when it is the right of
the president and those in authority under